Hose reel



June 18, 1968 Filed Nov. 16, 1965 FIG.

R. M. WILSON HOSE REEL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JINVENTOR RONALD M WILSON ATTO RN EYS June 18, 1968 R. M. WILSON 3,388,716

I HOSE REEL Filed Nov. 16, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR RONALD M. WILSON ATTORNEYS FIG.3.

. Filed Nov. 16, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4.

FIG. 5.

INVENTOR RONALD M. 'WILSON QM/6 YQZJ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,388,716 HOSE REEL Ronald M. Wilson, Ambler, Pa., assignor to William M. Wilsons Sons, Inc., Lansdale, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 508,086 7 Claims. (Cl. 137-35512) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hose reel having a support on which a ratchet wheel is mounted with a liquid inlet opening in the ratchet wheel communicating with a pintle mounted on the ratchet wheel and in communication with the liquid inlet opening and extending inwardly of the support. A rotatable hub is journaled on the pintle and a discharge head is mounted on the hub. A front flange is mounted on the discharge head and a rear flange is mounted on the hub. Adjacent the rear flange at one end is a drum which is mounted on the hub and which is substantially spaced away from the front flange at its other end. A discharge hose is connected to the discharge head. Hose guide means are provided having an opening which receives the discharge hose. A spring casing is mounted on the rear flange having a spring mounted in the casing and anchored at one end on the ratchet wheel, and at the other end on the spring casing. A ratchet pawl is pivotally mounted on the spring casing in operational relation with the ratchet wheel. A hose reel is thereby provided for use in dispensing liquids in which the hose may be held in a desired position for delivery of fluid and then be automatically wound onto the reel after use.

This invention relates to a device for use in the dispensing of liquids and particularly to a liquid dispensing device in which a hose and a hose storage reel are provided so that a relatively long length of hose is available by unwinding the hose from the reel, and in which the hose may be held in a desired position and then be automatically wound onto the reel after use. Apparatus of this type is particularly useful at the fuel service stations where variable hose lengths are required in supplying liquid fuel from a dispensing pump to the fuel tanks of vehicles such as automobiles and trucks.

Fuel tank filling openings for the various types of automobiles and trucks which are serviced at filling stations are located at varying distances from the service station fuel pump. This requires a fuel pump dispensing hose corresponding in length to the longest expected distance from the fuel pump to the fuel tank filling opening. This maximum length is substantially greater than is normally needed, and consequently the excess hose must be coiled or hung outside the fuel pump housing in coils and loops which are hazardous and unsightly. Various attempts have been made in the prior art to provide storage means for the excess hose within the fuel pump housing, generally in the form of a reel mounted within the housing upon which the hose may be wound and unwound. A reel of this general type is shown in US. Patent No. 2,511,391 in which a spring-biased reel is rotatably mounted within a casing. In such devices the spring tension is increased by unwinding the hose from the reel. Consequently a spring tension exists at the time liquid fuel is being dispensed by the fuel pump through the hose. This spring tension must be positively restrained during filling and must be easily made effective for rewinding the hose after filling. Various frictional devices have been employed for this purpose, but these are subject to wear and are not sufiiciently positive in their action. Consequently positive 3,388,7l6 Patented June 18, 1968 action reels of the type shown in US. Patent No. 2,949,- 525 have been suggested in which a ratchet tooth and a cooperating pawl are employed. One of the problems presented by mechanisms of this type is that the reel for rewinding the hose frequently overruns its position when the operator applies a vigorous pull toward the end of the maximum travel of the hose. This not only damages the hose by bending it but also may leave the reel mechanism in a locked position when the hose has been pulled out to a point which does not provide sufficient further extension to release the locking mechanism. It is important that positive means for preventing such an cecurrence be provided since under these conditions the hose cannot be rewound on the reel, except by removal of the casing to gain access to the locking mechanism. Alternatively, it would be necessary to incorporate a release mechanism accessible outside the fuel pump casing which would interfere with the space available for storing the hose on the hub of the hose reel and likewise would be cumbersome and expensive.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a rotatable hose reel and associated holding and rewind mechanism in combination with means for preventing overrun to a locked position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a housing and associated hose reel mechanism in which a rotating reel is mounted on a fixed fuel delivery tube.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hose and hose reel mounted Within a housing with an aperture in the housing suitably positioned for withdrawal of the hose with means cooperative with the hose and the casing and with the hose reel for preventing locking of the rewind mechanism of the hose reel when the hose is in its extended position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hose reel hub member particularly constructed to provide space for bumper means attached to the hose while at the same time avoiding interference with the hose storage function of the hose reel when the hose has been rewound upon it.

A still further object is to provide a hose and hose reel combination in which a hub member and an attached delivery head member both rotate around a delivery tube.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of a representative embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross section taken as indicated by the arrows I-I in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation looking from the left side of FIGURE 1 with the front flange removed.

FIGURE 3 is an elevation looking from the right side of FIGURE 1 with the housing and support members removed.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation similar to FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation looking from the left side of FIGURE 1 with all elements removed except the pawl and ratchet means.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the drum and drum extension looking from the right side of FIGURE 2.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, a housing 10 is provided within which there is mounted a reel mechanism shown generally at 11, having a fuel inlet opening 12 at one end and attachment means 62 for a fuel delivery hose 13 at the other end. As shown in FIG. 4, housing 10 has a hose outlet opening 14 with internal rollers 8 and external rollers 9 through which hose 13 extends. Attached to the hose 13 is an internal bumper 15 and an external bumper (not shown). Reel mechanism 11 is mounted within housing 10 by means of a base support 17 to which there is attached an upright support 18 having an inlet opening 19. Stationary ratchet wheel having ratchet teeth 21 is securely mounted on upright support 18 by means of mounting bolts which pass through support 18 and engage threaded holes 16 formed in the central part of ratchet wheel 26. As shown in FIG. 3, ratchet teeth 21 are not continuous around the circumference of the ratchet wheel 26 being discontinued along the smooth surface of nose members 23 and 24 and across the cavities 25 and 25 respectively. A pawl mounting plate 27 is fixedly attached by spot welding or other means to spring cover 28 which is provided with a flange 29 through which mounting bolts 30 are passed for attachment of the spring cover 28 to the rear reel flange 31. Pin 32 extending from pawl mounting plate 27 is provided for mounting the pawl 33 which is held in place by the pawl fastener 34. Pawl 33 has ears 35 and 36 to which pawl springs 37 are attached, the outer ends of the springs being attached to the pins 33 and 39. Rewind spring 40 in the form of a coiled flat spring is suitably mounted within spring cover 28. Spring 40 is held at one of its ends by the pin 6 and engages shoulder 7 at its other end.

In order that the face of ratchet wheel 2!? may be drawn tight against the flat surface of support 18 so as to avoid leakage, annular channel 41 is provided within which there is fitted O-ring 42. A gasket 23 is provided to effect a tight seal between the flanged inlet connection and the reverse flat surface of support 18. Ratchet wheel 20 has a forward extension 44 which serves to reinforce a forced fit of the ratchet wheel over a pintle 45 which extends forwardly in a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 1. Extension 44 also provides an anchorage shoulder 7 for the inner end of rewind spring 40, the other end of which is attached to a pin 6 affixed to cover 28. A spacing washer 46 is interposed between the inner end of extension 44 and the ends of hub 47 and bushing 48. Reel flange 31 is attached to hub 47 by means of bolts 50 and is provided with an indexing hole for engagement with pin 69 as shown in FIG. 1.

Ball bearing 51 is mounted on pintle 45 in a forward shoulder of hub 47 and is held in place by retaining ring 52. At its forward end hub 47 is provided with a spider 53 to which discharge head 54 is attached by means of mounting bolts 52. In order to prevent flow of fuel from the interior of discharge head 54 to the region of the hearing 51, an O-ring 56 is provided together with lip seal 57 and lip seal retaining plate 58. Vent 5 is provided to prevent the build-up of pressure in the space forward of bearing 51. Threaded extension 59 is attached to discharge head 54 at its outlet opening. An elbow 60 is threaded to extension 59. A second threaded extension 61 is attached to elbow 60 and carries a second threaded elbow 62 which is adapted to receive the threaded connector 63 of hose 13.

Dowel pin 64 which extends forwardly from hub 47 is provided for engagement with a hole in discharge head 54 for properly positioning discharge head 54 for a puI- pose hereinafter described.

Discharge head 54 is provided with a spider 66 to which is mounted front flange 67 by means of attachment bolts (not shown), which engage threaded holes 68 formed in spider 66.

Also attached to spider 53 by means of metal screws 70 is hose drum 71 which is attached to the inner surface of rear flange 31 by means of welds 72. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the hose drum 71 presents a continuous unbroken surface around the circumference of hub spider 53 in the space between the inner surface of reel flange 31 and the inner end of spider 53. Drum extension 65 extends substantially across the space between the inner end of drum 71 to the flange 67 through about of arc, as shown in FIG. 6. There is thus formed a cavity 73 within which bumper 15 is positioned when hose 13 responds to the rewind motion of the reel. In order to provide smooth surfaces for hose 13 as it is wound onto hub extension 65, there are provided turned-in end portions 74 and 75 as shown in FIG. 6.

Operation In connecting up the apparatus for dispensing fuel, front reel flange 67 is removed. Reel 11 is then wound to a suitable tension (for example, to about inch pounds torque) and is held in locked position by the engagement of pawl 33 with teeth 21 and with elbow 62 in the position shown in FIG. 2. The end of hose 13 is then passed through the housing outlet 14 and threaded end 63 is attached to elbow 62. Inner bumper 15 is then attached to hose 13 at a position where it will occupy cavity 73 under spider 66 when the hose is wound on the drum extension 65 on release of pawl 33. The front flange is then fastened to the spider 66 and the reel 10 is permitted to rewind the hose 13 on the drum extension 65 and ultimately on drum 71. The front housing member is now fastened in place and the apparatus is in working condition for attachment of a fluid fuel supply line to the inlet opening 12 and for attachment of the customary fuel supply nozzle and valve to the delivery end of hose 13.

It is not intended that the present invention be limited to a reel enclosed within a housing since reel mechanism 11 may be operably mounted on an unenclosed support with the hose passing through a separately mounted guide means properly positioned to operate cooperatively with the reel and internal hose bumper. Also, it is contemplated that the apparatus may be enclosed in the usual pumping equipment housing.

With the house 13 wound into storage position on drum 71 and drum extension 65 and with fuel under pressure being fed to delivery tube 45, the operator merely pulls hose 13 out to the desired length and opens the delivery valve in hose 13 to supply fuel to the fuel tank of the vehicle being serviced. In most cases, the operator will pull hose 13 to a position in which pawl 33 engages one of the ratchet wheel teeth in locked position. In such event servicing is completed with the reel in locked position and the rewind operation is initiated by the operator pulling the hose out the additional distance required to rotate the pawl beyond the end of one of the nose member 23 or 24. Here it should be noted that the predetermined fixed relationship between the positions of the discharge head 54, the pawl 33 and the ratchet wheel relative to each other, which is accomplished by means of the indexing pins 64 and 69, and the position of the inner bumper 15 relative to the elbow 62 provides first, that when the hose is extended as far as possible, that is, when inner bumper 15 contacts the inner rollers 8 as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 4, the pawl 33 will be in the rewind condition as shown by broken lines in FIGURE 5; and second, that the hose 13 cannot be unduly bent and damaged in that portion adjacent to threaded connector 63. Thus, when the hose is withdrawn to its greatest length, the pawl is in its rewind position and any further effort to cause rotation of the reel is prevented by engagement of internal bumper 15 with the rollers wh ch are positioned at the exit opening for the hose. There is thus provided positive means for preventing the device from reaching a locked position at a time when rotation to rewind position would not be possible by further withdrawal of the hose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as follows:

1. A hose reel comprising a support, a ratchet wheel fixedly mounted on said support and having a liquid inlet opening formed therein, a tubular pintle integrally mounted on said ratchet wheel in communication with said liquid inlet opening and extending inwardly of said support, a rotatable hub journaled on said pintle, a discharge head mounted on said hub, a front flange mounted on said discharge head, a rear flange mounted on said hub, a drum mounted on said hub adjacent said rear flange at one end and substantially spaced away from the front flange at its other end, thereby providing a space between the drum end and the front flange, a discharge hose connected to said discharge head, hose guide means, in said hose guide means receiving said discharge hose, a spring casing mounted on said rear flange, a spring mounted in said spring casing and anchored at one end on said ratchet wheel and at the other end on the spring casing, and a ratchet pawl pivotally mounted on said spring casing in operational relation with said ratchet wheel.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein there is a drum extension formed on a portion of the drum periphery and extending substantially across the space between the drum end and the front flange.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein a cavity is formed under the drum extension and a bumper attached to the hose and positioned to occupy the cavity when the hose is wound on the reel.

4. The hose reel of claim 3 wherein the ratchet and pawl mechanism are in rewind relationship at the time the bumper engages the opening for the hose.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the discharge head and the rear flange are mounted on said hub in a predetermined fixed relationship each to the other.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the hub and the associated discharge head, flanges, drum, drum extension, spring, spring casing and pawl all are free to rotate as a unit about said pintle as an axis.

7. The hose reel of claim 1 wherein the front flange is removably attached to the discharge head.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,308 1/1944 Waugh 137-355.22 XR HENRY T. KLINKSIEK, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,388,716 June 18, 1968 Ronald M. Wilson It is certified that patent and that said Lette shown below:

error appears in the above identified rs Patent are hereby corrected as Column 2, lines 1 and 2, "U.S. Patent No. 2,949,525" should read U.S. Patent No. 2,494,525 Column 3, line 43, "bolts 52" should read bolts 55 Column 4, line 29, "house 13" should read hose l3 lines 41 and 42, "member" should read members Column 5, line 3, before "in said hose" insert an opening Signed and sealed this 2nd day of December 1969.

SEAL) ,ttest:

lward M. Fletcher, Jr. E. J

ttesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

